Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGracillariidae Members:
Caloptilia Members:
52 NC Records

Caloptilia serotinella (Ely, 1910) - Cherry Leaf Roller


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Gracillarioidea Family: GracillariidaeSubfamily: GracillariinaeTribe: [Gracillariini]P3 Number: 330159.00 MONA Number: 637.00
Comments: Caloptilia is a large genus with nearly 300 described species; 64 species have been described in North America north of Mexico. The larvae begin as leaf-mining sap-feeders, but the latter instars usually exit the mines and feed within a conical roll that begins at the leaf apex or at the tip of a leaf lobe.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: (Ely, 1910, Forbes, 1923).Technical Description, Immature Stages: Ely (1910)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The adults are readily identifiable by the dark brown to purplish-brown forewing that is boldly mottled with white. A large white costal patch with a dark center is usually evident just before the mid-point. The cilia on the forewing often has two or three yellowish-tan streaks that cut through the darker ground color. The antennae are dark with white annulations, except for the first three segments which are whitish. The femur and tibia of the front and middle leg are brown with fine white mottling, while the tarsi are whitish with heavy dusky markings. The rear leg is yellowish tan with darker markings concentrated on the lower half.

This species and C. invariabilis both mine cherry trees, with C. serotinella using Black Cherry and C. invariabilis preferring Fire Cherry. The latter makes a very indistinct, whitish, linear mine that ends in a small underside blotch. Here, we treat the conspicuous mines that are typically seen on Black Cherry as belonging to C. serotinella. Rearing efforts are needed to better delineate differences in mine characteristics and host plants in North Carolina, and we consider our identifications based on mines to be tentative.
Wingspan: 13-14 mm (Ely, 1910)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae produce epidermal mines on cherry leaves and may use either the upper and lower surfaces. The mine begins with a rather long, whitish, Phyllocnistis-like track that may have a distinct brown frass line. This ends in a large, more or less wrinkled, whitish blotch that is often formed along the midrib. Underside mines end in a small, tentiform blotch, while those on the upper surface expand into a larger blotch that remains more or less flat (Eiseman, 2021). Upon exiting the mine, the larva folds the tip of the leaf over to form a hollow tetrahedron or conical roll (Ely, 1910). The yellowish cocoon is spun in a slightly folded leaf, and the pupal skin is left protruding from one end after the adult emerges. It is not uncommon for a single leaf to have two or three mines on it.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: This species is primarily found in the north-central and northeastern US, and in adjoining areas of southeastern Canada. Populations in the North Carolina mountains appear to be disjunct from the main range and occur at elevations that range from the low valleys to the highest peaks (Mt. Mitchell; iNaturalist).
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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